about the book
Gabi was born in sin, born to her unwed, twenty-five-year-old mother who was beaten by her mother for getting pregnant. Now, Gabi’s sexual education from her mom includes only four words: “Eyes open, legs closed.”
On the outside Gabi agrees with her mother even though she doesn’t really agree with waiting until marriage. Gabi’s argument: this is twenty-first-century America, “not Mexico one hundred years ago.” But if she doesn’t agree, her mom will think she’s bad or “trying to be White.”
Now, Gabi’s life is filled with anxiety as she navigates the dating world by trying to balance her Catholic faith with her desires, some of which may be focused on misguided crushes. And there is her gay friend, Sebastian, who is trying to find his footing in a journey to acceptance after he comes out to his family. And there’s Cindy, a friend who finds herself unexpectedly pregnant.
Then, add Gabi’s father and his meth addiction, along with Gabi’s attempts at weight control.
Perhaps one thing is certain: This will not be an easy senior year of high school.
about the author
Isabel Quintero’s parents were born in Mexico, and Isabel was born and raised in the Inland Empire (IE) of Southern California, among the deserts, winds, warehouses, citrus trees, and freeways.
Her parents lived a rough life during their first few years in the U.S.—working laborious jobs and hours. Isabel grew up in a small city once filled with citrus and was raised partially by an elderly couple because her parents worked so much. Her mom would walk her and her little brother to the library, and Isabel always toted home too many books to carry herself. Some of Isabel’s best memories with her mom are from learning to read.
As she got older, Isabel found battles within her own life. She says that like her fictional character, she also “wrestled with her body image and her Mexican American family’s expectations, and dreamed about leaving home to attend college.”
Eventually, Isabel graduated from Santiago High School and attended Cal State San Bernardino, leading to her future careers. She married her husband, Fernando, in a library in 2003.
Isabel writes young adult literature, poetry, and fiction, and she teaches English at two community colleges. She is also a freelance writer and a member of PoetrIE, an organization bringing literary arts to the communities of the IE.
Sources:
Author website
Author interview: School Library Journal
Book trailer: Gabi, a Girl in Pieces
read more!
Dream Things True by Marie Marquardt
Evan and Alma have their differences. Evan is a soccer star, nephew of a conservative Southern Senator, who longs for a functional family. Alma, comfortable in her large, warm Mexican family, excels in school. The two fall deeply in love. But when Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids their town, how will Evan handle the news that Alma and her family are undocumented immigrants?
The Pregnancy Project : A Memoir by Gaby Rodriguez
Gaby Rodriguez, always a good student, comes from a family of teen moms—her mother and her older sisters all got pregnant as teenagers. Everyone expects Gaby to do the same. So she comes up with a plan to fake pregnancy. Her question: How will this affect how others view and treat her? Gaby describes her journey dealing with stereotypes and a life-altering experience.
Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina
While searching for the father she has never met, keeping her grades up, and working a part-time job, Piddy is harassed by Yaqui Delgado and her gang. Piddy is mostly able to avoid Yaqui, but when the bullying escalates and her personal life begins to suffer, she must reexamine her priorities in order to prevent these bullies from determining the type of person she will be.